To keep the living room’s neutrals from reading as bland, homeowner and stylist Sabrina Linn used pieces with texture and tone-on-tone prints, including the herringbone sisal area rug, animal-print art and striped floor-to-ceiling drapes.

Homeowner and stylist Sabrina Linn mounted oversized corkboards in her foyer as an inspiration wall of favourite magazine images, sketches and fabric samples. She updated the settee — a $50 sample-sale find — with David Hicks fabric and fringe trim. For a change of pace, she lays a swatch of stylized floral fabric overtop.

Homeowner, chef and food stylist Claire Stubbs wanted this kitchen to be the focal point of her new home. Though most of her budget went to structural elements, she saved up for the finishes and appliances she’d always wanted, like two-inch-thick Calacatta d’Oro marble countertops and a Wolf range. Lower cabinets with reclaimed wood fronts conceal fridge and freezer drawers, as well as a dishwasher.

Food stylist Claire Stubbs wanted a modern look in her Victorian home. Her bathroom’s dramatic yet peaceful style is spacious and welcoming. The glass and tile shower runs the full width of the room and is fully exposed (only the window is frosted for privacy). The dark wall grounds the space, making it feel cosier while the fur rug adds a touch of luxury.

To give the her family room a cosier feel, stylist Alison Booth stained her great-grandfather’s armchairs and had them reupholstered in a cherry-blossom weave. The Persian rug adds another traditional note.

A boxy, masculine leather sofa is ideal for stylist Trish Johnston’s busy family of four.

A white-painted thrift-shop coffee table and mirrored side table offer a feminine touch in Trish’s living room. Accessories, from the pretty antique painting to the textural calfskin rug, add tension to the room and keep things interesting.

Ceiling-height drapes and a light palette visually expand this small space.

In designer Trish Johnston’s small principal bedroom, the walls, Flokati rug and duvet cover are a crisp, clean white to create a tranquil backdrop. Johnston built on the neutral scheme with boldly coloured accessories like deep orange throw pillows and taupe and blue patterned drapes, all of which can be easily switched out when the mood strikes.

Homeowner and stylist Trish Johnston prefers to keep windows unadorned wherever privacy isn’t a concern. The bare window in her office — a space where she needs visual calm — allows the maximum amount of light to flood the room and keeps clashing colours and pattern to a minimum. Hot pink carpet tiles and the chair, found in an alley, are the exceptions here.

Homeowner and stylist Arielle Eby shops vintage and secondhand stores for pieces that can be easily made into something stunning. This previously white-painted pedestal table and chairs were given a coat of glossy ebony paint to boost their sophistication. A subtle leopard-print fabric was used to upholster the chairs, making them more sleek and urban.

Designer and stylist Arielle Glober skipped a bulky headboard in favour of bold citrus-green lacquered screens set against a muted paper wall. Although the dormer is just big enough for a queen-sized bed, the wallpaper, glass lamp and country-style lace-edged bedding deliver major impact.

Homeowner Heidi Lewis’ furniture is mostly secondhand, but you wouldn’t know it from the sophisticated way she’s pulled it all together. Hanging behind her couch is a vintage curtain panel that she mounted on a frame, creating an inexpensive piece of art. She chose to splurge on a red Hans Wegner Shell chair, adding an eye-catching pop of colour by the window.

Numbered baskets across the top of the upper cabinets provides much-needed storage, warmth and texture to the basic white kitchen, while a hanging pot rack acts as a functional ‘chandelier.’ A butcher-block topped island doubles counterspace, and when two stools are added, creates a casual breakfast spot. A vintage chest, acquired from a university science lab, holds linens, flatware and baking utensils, freeing kitchen cabinets for larger items.

A neutral palette exudes serenity and cleanliness. Freelance stylist and creative director Jenn Cranston created a headboard out of a bamboo screen, and unique lights by rewiring two pendants and wrapping the cords in raffia. Throughout her cottage, Jenn uses branches for sculptures and displays grass and leaves from her garden.

Simple accessories like a necklace and a wicker bag make for a spare but artistic display. The carved black chair and black pedestal bowl are perfect foils for pieces from Jenn’s white pottery collection.

“We thought having a big pink sofa would be hilarious, so I balanced that with the bold turquoise fabric that covers the vintage aluminum chairs — my twist on the ubiquitous bergere chair,” says stylist Arren Williams. The brightly upholstered furniture is toned-down with neutral walls and a modern stone fireplace which he painted a creamy white. Vintage pieces, such as the side tables and glass pendant, give a retro-cool vibe to the space.

White accents and natural light transformed stylist Arren Williams‘ dining room into a bright, inviting space. “I fell in love with this wallpaper,” says Arren. “Its livable, soft metallic tones add warmth and offset the other colours in the room.” His custom-made dining room table and Thonet-like chairs, which he refurbished himself, add vintage quirkiness that can be seen throughout his home.

A variety of patterned and coloured textiles add levity to the smoky palette of stylist Arren Williams‘ bedroom. The headboard was upholstered in a metallic linen, which adds sparkle and height to the space, while brightening the overall look. Pops of colour, like the red enamel side table and ochre-hued chair, enliven the space in an unexpected way.

Designer Barb Purdy dressed up an inexpensive fixture with pliable young twigs, which she tied at the top and around each light with thin black wire to form organic-looking branches. The bulbs were dipped in silicone for a softer, aged effect. You can also spray paint your entire chandelier white for an on-trend look.

Toronto designer Barb Purdy wanted to spruce up her Parry Sound cottage on the cheap. So, instead of hiring contractors, her husband built the cedar deck himself. They also used discount-store fabric for the cushions instead of buying pricey designer pillows. A railing and bunkie are still to come, but the deck is livable and welcoming already.